“The Chiefs today [Thursday] released former starting quarterback Matt Cassel.”Adam Teicher, Kansas City StarGH: Another one bites the dust…another failed Chiefs’ quarterback experiment. This one was a costly mistake – in both salary cap and fan morale. Scott Pioli’s decision to sign Matt Cassel was compounded into a franchise-killing error when Pioli refused to acquire any real competition for Cassel in Kansas City. Both Pioli and Cassel are now far richer for their time here as Clark Hunt’s employees but now also gone.

“This in my estimation is a ridiculously risky roll of the dice. … This is typical Kansas City. If there was any winner here, it was the 49ers.”Kevin Kietzman, on the Chiefs’ apparent decision to not use their top draft pick on a college quarterback in the upcoming draft, 810 AMGH: This is about as far from a risky move as it gets in the NFL. The Chiefs first went safe when they hired the well-established Andy Reid instead of gambling on an unknown college coach like Oregon’s Chip Kelly. Reid is simply doing what everyone in the NFL expected him to do – sign an established veteran QB and then fill the Chiefs’ other needs through free agency and the draft. Reid’s work is being lauded in almost every corner of the Internet. Will it work? Who knows? But it is safe, predictable and anything but a risky roll of the dice.

“There was no doubt in my mind this is where I wanted to be. It wasn’t close. Everything pointed here. … The opportunity to work with coach Reid was something that, from all the quarterbacks I’ve ever talked to … they’ve only had good things to say. From the outside looking in, you see the talent that’s here. You see the potential. It’s just a matter of getting things going, getting the chemistry right, the culture right.”Alex Smith, Kansas City StarGH: I could not tell if Smith was simply blowing smoke up our BBQ-loving burnt ends or if he is truly happy to be the next in a long line of former 49er QB to make their way to the Chiefs. I am hoping for the latter.

“Alex is the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.”Andy Reid, when asked if there would be competition for the starting quarterback job between Alex Smith and Chase Daniel, Kansas City StarGH: I have never understood the NFL’s need to name the starting quarterback based on salary. Why should Smith be named the starter in March when we haven’t even seen him compete with Daniel and whoever the Chiefs draft? I would treat QBs more like linemen – you get what you earn on the field. Missouri is the Show-Me State. Fragile egos need not apply.

“Sorting out the [Mizzou] quarterback situation is the biggest storyline of the spring and the quickest solution to what ails the Tigers. [Gary] Pinkel said James Franklin, Corbin Berkstresser and Maty Mauk will enter on an even plane.”Joe Walljasper, columnist, Columbia Daily TribuneGH: Pinkel is taking the exact opposite approach from Reid in finding his starter at the quarterback position. Pinkel is even passively dissing Franklin [again], last season’s starter at Mizzou…

“In this situation, without what I’d call the term ‘an established quarterback,’ we pretty much will, with those top three guys, go even reps with ones, twos, threes and keep rolling them right through.”Gary Pinkel, Columbia Daily TribuneGH: So Franklin isn’t an “established starter” in Pinkel’s mind? Gotcha, coach.

“[Maty Mauk] is a great competitor. He brings a lot of great things — winning — from high school, that he’s done at a very high level consistently. So we’ll see how it goes. He’s got a very strong arm. He can throw it 75 yards.”Gary Pinkel, on MU’s redshirt freshman quarterback, Columbia Daily TribuneGH: Calling Mauk a “great competitor” sounds a lot different than what Pinkel had to say about Franklin saying he “didn’t want to play” prior to the Arizona State game last September. Suffice it to say that the QB competition in Columbia this spring and fall should be interesting to follow.

“I’m blown away by the outpouring of support from #Chiefs nation as I start this new journey. I’m so proud to be a member of the @kcchiefs.”Chase Daniel, @ChaseDaniel, Twitter

“So @ChaseDaniel told me he’s gotten over 1500 mentions since signing with the #Chiefs and he reads every one. So, welcome him to KC.”Danny Parkins, @DannyParkins, TwitterGH: I have read some of the tweets to Daniel and while many are very supportive, there are more than a few who have a Kansas Jayhawk tinged tone to them. Those are probably the ones Daniel is Favoriting.

“Nothing like a little Texas @Dickeys BBQ for lunch! 2 meat plate with beans and veggies! #YUMtwitpic.com/c4wcj3”Chase Daniel, @ChaseDaniel, in a tweet from last month, TwitterGH: Dickey’s? This Texas boy still has a lot to learn about good BBQ…

“The Jets had hopes to re-sign the unrestricted free agent, but [Mike] DeVito garnered a lot of interest from other teams. DeVito is now reunited with Bob Sutton, the Jets’ former linebackers and assistant head coach who was hired as the Chiefs’ new defensive coordinator this offseason. DeVito, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2007, was a force against the run during his Jets tenure and has developed a reputation as a lunch pail kind of guy.”Kimberly Martin, writer, NewsDay.comGH: DeVito was a salary-cap casualty with the Jets and a player from all accounts they did not want to lose. In other words, this is not Kelly Gregg.

“I have a ton of respect for Andy Reid. I was almost star struck when I saw him for the first time today.”Mike DeVito, the former Jets’ defensive lineman who just signed with the Chiefs, in an interview with Bob Fescoe, 610 AM

“I don’t let nothin’ motivate me except my family. That’s what I do it for.”Dwayne Bowe, in an interview with The Border Patrol, when asked by Nate Bukaty if he was motivated by criticism, 810 AMGH: I have always liked how Bowe treated his fans. He is one of the few Chiefs’ stars who goes out of his way at camp to sign and pose for photographs. I am rooting for the Bowe Show to have an extended run on Broadway this season.

“It’s gonna be special, it’s gonna be great. Andy knows what he’s doing. I can’t wait to see how it all fits together. It’s like a big puzzle – a jigsaw. It’s gonna be exciting. It’s definitely going to be a turnaround from last year.”Dwayne Bowe, on what he expects from the Chiefs’ revamped offense, 810 AM

“Todd [Haley] was a great guy. He knew how to motivate players in the craziest way. I learned a lot from Todd. I learned discipline – more discipline.”Dwayne Bowe, 810 AM

“I’m still just Dwayne. … I’ll let you know.”Dwayne Bowe, when asked if we could go back to calling him D-Bowe or The Bowe Show, 810 AM

“It’s the Cauldron! It’s the South Stands!”Nate Bukaty, while reading a Sporting Kansas City commercial, 810 AMGH: I have always felt bad for the fans who are seated in Sportings’ South Stands at Livestrong because their nickname pales in comparison to the bubbly rowdies in The Cauldron. Who gets jacked up about being referred to as The South Stands? The Cauldron has their own merchandise line but I’m guessing few are laying out cash for a “South Stands” jersey. I have a solution – rename that end of the stadium “The Southies.” Southie is Boston’s historic working-class neighborhood known for their toughness and characters. Almost every movie Ben Affleck or Mark Wahlberg is affiliated with has a scene shot in Southie and a fistfight to go with it. I think The Southies would be a worthy moniker opposite The Cauldron.

“Iowa State people are down here in full effect.”Aaron Swarts, reporting live from the Power & Light District Thursday morning, 810 AMGH: The Cyclone fans always show up in Kansas City for the Big 12 tourney. Will the newly famous Iowa State fan who confronted Bill Self following KU’s win in Ames be in KC this weekend? We can only hope.

“Frank Martin on what he takes from 2012-13 season: ‘A big bottle of pepto bismal.’”Jerry Tipton, @JerryTipton, following South Carolina’s opening-round loss in the SEC tourney and their 14-18 record, Twitter

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About Greg Hall

Software guy who has been writing my Off The Couch column in KC newspapers, publications and websites since 1994. Has been bounced from some of the finest media establishments this side of State Line Road. Dad first and everything else second...and there are a lot of everything elses.

He’d better acquaint himself with real barbecue, real quick, or it won’t just be Jayhawks giving him a hard time over his culinary choices. Dickey’s? Really? I’ve eaten there (in DFW)… It’s not bad, but their setup is too much of a Furr’s cafeteria. Their meat is okay, but they could do more with their sauces and sides. It’s no match for any of at least a half-dozen KC joints.

Exactly. They’ve done a solid job of filling need in the FA period so far, and in retaining their own. And what it’s done is it gives them a lot of options at that #1 pick, even if it means trading it out for a boatload in return to a team like Buffalo, who will have to draft on need.

Don’t be dissin’ Dickey’s Greg. It’s better than most of the sauce covered turd we serve here. Texas BBQ is all about taking a great piece of meat coating with unique rubs and smoking the hell out of it with different varieties of wood; apple, hickory, oak, peach and many more. We take shit meat and drench it in sauce so you can’t even taste the flavor of the meat or the rub.

KC offers Alex Smith a shot at redemption. He will be surrounded with above average talent. If he brings his A game and a gunslingers attitude he and the Chiefs should do quite well.

There is only one “SOUTHIE”. It’s in the 617, not the 913. The Sporting Cauldron would last about 5 minutes of the wicked mean streets of Southie. Don’t even think of Southsiders either. That’s a Chicago thing. Most appropriate terms I can think of are douchebags and foot fairies. Pick one! Live it! Be it! It’s not about the name. It’s about the attitude.

None of the Mizzou QB’s are SEC material. Gonna be a long season for Gary hic Drinkel.

SM, Like you I am not a fan of drowning my BBQ in sauce. The best BBQ city in America resides in the state of Tennessee. Take your pick of a dozen places in Nashville or Memphis — their dry rub is more of an ecstacy experience than what we practiced back in junior high. But Dickey’s? That’s more like choking your own chicken.

Actually doing a spring break road trip in a motor home next week with some friends and their sons……..AQ chicken in Springdale, AR to Corky’s in Memphis, TN and wrapping up at Charlie’s on the Hill in STL. Will also make a stop at White Castle in STL before heading back to KC, for old times sake.

Don’t need a clue. Call me prescient, but these three don’t have the mojo to be top level QB’s in the SEC. If they did they wouldn’t be at MU. Call me even more prescient, MU won’t be bowl eligible this year either. Pinkel gets whacked, new regime comes in and takes 5 years to get MU “football worthy” in the SEC.

SMartMan….You really don’t have a clue do you? You continue to amuse me with your MU ignorance. Maty Mauk WILL be the starter. Take it to the bank. He is similar in play to Chase Daniel …but with a much stronger arm. MU’s O struggles were self inflicted by a passive OC who is now gone and serious injuries across the O line. DGB has a year under his belt and Mauk knows how to deliver the ball. Sit back and watch your ignorant ass predictions crumble dipshit.

Smartman, I love your comments, but you might need to keep your BBQ choices to yourself. It makes you sound, um, Un-smart. Dickey’s over OK Joe’s or Gates is like choosing a Golden Corral sirloin over a Pierpont’s Filet.

I’d probably do that too. They both probably get their meat from Sysco or US Foods. Only place to find a decent steak in this town anymore is McGonnigles or Bichelmeyers. Plaza III used to be the bomb, not it is a bomb. Crap food, crappier service.

Penzey’s Spices in downtown OP has a great Chicago steak seasoning. Coat both sides of the steak with a little EVOO massage in the seasoning, let it “soak” in for 24 hours and broil or grill away.

KC has lots of great BBQ spots. Gates, Bryant’s and OK Joes are not on my list. Smokin Guns, Brobeks and Rosedale are. That being said BBQ sauce has no place on a great piece of beef, pork, or poultry that has been properly rubbed and smoked.

Hey Greg, what do you think of this article? I find it interesting that with most of the Big 12 being so Texas/Oklahoma heavy, no one in this city seemed to have tried to get the SEC tournament even for a year or two.

I know in the SEC Atlanta, Nashville and New Orleans will always be the go to cities. But isn’t it smart for KC to try to get the SEC tournament sometime? With no team in this state the Big 12 could move the tournament to OKC, Dallas or San Antonio anytime they want.